Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing devices and specifically relates to devices used during trolling to control the movement of the fishing line and to control the lure speed, while also enabling the use of auxiliary devices to enhance the fishing experience.
Background of Related Art
Trolling is a popular form of fishing that is employed in both recreational or sport fishing as well as commercial fishing. Trolling involves drawing one or more baited fishing lines through a body of water by means of a moving water craft. Most typically, the water craft is a conventional boat that is equipped with a trolling motor, though trolling can also be accomplished by manually-propelled craft, such as small boats or canoes that are propelled by oars.
The speed at which the bait or lure on a fishing line is drawn, or trolled, is an important factor in the success of the fishing venture. Thus, trolling motors are capable of being set at variable speeds so that the speed of the water craft can be selected in accordance with the type or species of fish being pursued. Larger fish, such as salmon, move at greater speeds, especially in the ocean, than do lake trout, for example. Other factors also come into consideration in the selection of trolling speeds, including climate conditions and geographical conditions.
Many devices are known, and have been developed, for facilitating trolling, including devices that spread out or separate multiple lines, known as outriggers, so that the lines do not tangle. Other devices, known as downriggers, have been developed to maintain the depth of a line below the bottom of the boat. Many other devices have been developed to manipulate the line and/or bait or lure to simulate conditions that may increase the chance of a attracting fish, such as simulating dying, distressed or fast-moving fish.
Fundamental to all the equipment and devices used in trolling is the fact that the movement of the boat is the determinant factor of the speed at which the fishing line and the lure move in the water. Whether the line is simply cast out from the back of a water craft or is attached to an outrigger and/or downrigger, the speed at which the lure or bait moves through the water to attract fish is controlled by the speed at which the water craft is caused to move, either by a trolling motor or by the speed of rowing. In trolling, the speed at which the lure moves through the water is fixed by the speed of the boat or watercraft, and the only way to vary the speed of the lure is to turn the boat, which causes the outside lure speed to increase and the inside lure speed to decrease.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a device by which the fisherman can manipulate and control the movement of the fishing line and the speed of the lure that is separate from the speed of the water craft, and which is independent of the attachment of the fishing line to any other device, such as an outrigger or a downrigger.